The joyous declaration at Christ’s birth proclaimed love, peace and joy. It was the magnificent prelude to a mighty shout, “Justice has been brought through to victory. It is finished!” Or is it?

Lately instead of echoing “It is finished!“, I have been asking “Is it finished?”

“Where is the victory?
Where can justice be found?”

Both triumph and struggle mark my daily reality. The battle within and around me is often intense. I see defeat in lives around me. I hear pain in weighted voices while mock smiles camouflage hurting hearts.

Matthew echoes Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus,

“I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.”Matthew 12:18

Through His life and death, Jesus completed this and over 300 other prophecies.”…the odds of anyone fulfilling this amount of prophecy are staggering. Mathematicians put it this way: 1 person fulfilling 8 prophecies = 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000; 1 person fulfilling 48 prophecies = 1 chance in 10 to the 157th power; 1 person fulfilling 300+ prophecies = Only Jesus!”

In His own words, Jesus says,

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come.
I did not come to abolish the law of Moses
or the writings of the prophets.
No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”Matthew 5:17

The World

The original quote in Isaiah puts it this way,

“A bruised reed he will not break
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bringforth justice,
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.”
Isaiah 42:3,4

Without question, Jesus has the power and ability to use force to break the bruised or snuff out those whose passion has grown cold. Yet, “he will not”! Three times Isaiah declares this truth, “he will not!”

If Jesus came as a baby over two thousand years ago to “establish justice on the earth”, I’m sorry, but it is hard to see! The rich become richer and the poor poorer. Horrific levels of injustice and discrimination flourish unchecked in nation after nation. In cultures void of God consciousness or respect for life, justice appears absent.

Regardless of what I witness around me, Jesus completely fulfilled the mandate of establishing justice on earth.

Finished

Connie Inglis, an Inscribe writer, reminded me of another three point emphasis. The Greek root wordtelosis used, not just once, but three times in reference to Jesus’ death on the cross.

“Later, knowing that
all was now completed (teleō),
and so that the Scripture
would be fulfilled (teleioō),
Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty’ …
When he had received the drink,
Jesus said, ‘It is finished (teleō).’
With that, he bowed his head
and gave up his spirit.”
John 19:28, 30

Powerful words! Completed! Fulfilled! Finished! When the writers of scripture stated something three times they were giving it the strongest possible emphasis. Like a holy shout, they were ensuring we wouldn’t miss the point.

It is finished!

“When you were dead in your sins
and in the uncircumcision of your flesh,
God made you alive with Christ.”
Colossians 2:13-15

Since the fall of Adam, sin holds all mankind in the legal grip of death. Through Christ alone, the dead receive life! It is finished!

“He forgave us all our sins,
having cancelled the charge
of our legal indebtedness,
which stood against us and condemned us’
he has taken it away,
nailing it to the cross.”Colossians 2:14

All righteousness has been fulfilled! Jesus paid the price for our freedom, not just from sin, but from the resulting guilt and shame. The cross is more than enough. Salvation is complete in Him!

“And having disarmed
the powers and authorities,
he made a public spectacle of them,triumphing over them by the cross.”Colossians 2:15

What was the final act of justice? While Satan powerfully bruised Jesus’ heal, Jesus crushed his head inflicting a fatal blow. Through the cross, Jesus executed judgment on our enemy creating a path for complete restoration for each of us.

Follow Through

“It is finished!” Everything Jesus came to do, he accomplished!

Now it is our turn! God desires justice, fully and freely blended with mercy, to influence every person and invade every area of our planet. Today! Here! Now!

“This is what the LORD Almighty said:
Administer true justice, show mercy
and compassion to one another.”Zechariah 7:9

Mercy, (Hebrew – hesed) refers to active care. It is loving kindness and compassion demonstrated. Justice (Hebrew – tsadaq) refers more to fair treatment and equity. Mercy and justice partner together, like the left and right hand working in unison.

“Mercy is like the ambulance at the bottom of a cliff,
ready to help those who fall off.
Justice builds a fence at the top of the cliff
to protect them from falling in the first place.
Mercy wipes the tears from the eyes.
Justice asks, “Why are you crying?”
Mercy welcomes the hungry
to gather around God’s banqueting table.
Justice addresses why
some are under the table aching of hunger…
Mercy seeks and saves those lost in darkness.
Justice asks, “Why is it dark? Who is keeping it dark?”

Continuous Completion

In the Greek, the verb choice for “finished” is in perfect tense. It is a past action but the effect of it continues into the present. Whenever the broken are made whole, the lost welcomed home, the sick healed, relationships restored, tormented minds find peace, “it is finished” again, and again, and yet again… The past action of Christ’s finished work continues unending!

This past year alone I witnessed the continuing triumph through Christ at work as

people discovered personal relationship with Jesus,
many set free from destructive
or addictive behaviours,
traumas erased, lies exposed and minds set at peace,
medically confirmedmiracles occurred:brain lesions from Multiple Sclerosis disappeared;
“frozen shoulder” instantly healed;
unborn baby without a heartbeat born healthy;
those unable to conceive conceiving;cancer disappearing;
and so much more!

When we welcome Jesus into a situation, He comes in triumph! The answers don’t always look like we hope or expect, but Christ is the answer for every hopeless situation.

Victory Triumphs

Jesus carried “justice through to victory.” His work is complete, fulfilled and finished! Our work, through the Holy Spirit, as we follow in His footsteps, continues! Finished but ongoing!

“…And this is the secret:Christ lives in you.
This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”Colossians 1:27

A call resounds for the church to rise. As she awakens from her slumber embracing the mandate of mercy and justice, we will witness on earth the impact of what legally has been completely in the heavenly realm. Oh that Christ would receive the glory for everything He accomplished at the cross.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.”Micah 6:8

Celebration of advent, the arrival of the long awaited Messiah, closed the year! Yet, Jesus’ coming announced the dawn of a new era, bringing justice and hope for all. His life and death shakes the earth, even now, with divine authority setting this upside down world right side up.

If you are fortunate, one struggle will end before another begins. Often, however, battles invade in mass. There are times when I want to raise the white flag of surrender and say, “Enough, Lord!” Battles serve a divine purpose. Ultimately every battle we face is the Lord’s while at the same time, He is training us for war.

“These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites
who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan
(he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites
who had not had previous battle experience.”Judges 3:1,2

God’s intention is for us all to become mighty in battle, warriors who are thoroughly equipped and prepared for any affront. Training is developed in the battle field of experience not in the classroom of hypothesis.

We all enjoy singing the songs of victory; few relish in the throes of battle.

The Battle is the Lord’s

Whatever we are going through, whether small or great, God alone gains the victory for us. Though it is tempting to “handle” the small stuff ourselves, foundational principles are learned in the little battles of life that can be applied equally to larger attacks.

“This is what the LORD says:
Do not be afraid!
Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army,
for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”2 Chronicles 20:15

Don’t wait for the marriage to fail, the diagnosis of cancer, the prodigal son to run off to a distant land, or the bank account to occupy the red zone before relying on the Lord’s help. Bring every struggle and battle to the Lord, seek His strategy, and follow His directives.

Jehoshaphat “inquired of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast“. Then all the people around also sought “help from the LORD.”

The King, as one in authority, went first. He set the precedent. Prayer and fasting don’t twist the arm of God, rather they position hearts to trust, eyes to see, ears to hear and minds to comprehend the agendas of God.

God is Big Enough

When we learn to fearlessly trust during the “little”, trusting in the “big” comes instinctively. God dwindled Gideon’s army down to where only He would receive the glory. First God released the fearful.

“Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave…
So twenty-two thousand men left…”Judges 7:3

Fear may help get the adrenaline pumping, but no one functions at their best when afraid. It is the solid recognition of Who God is, that solidifies fearless trust. Stepping forward in God’s authority, dominion, and power, increases strength, renews hope and builds extravagant faith.

“LORD, the God of our ancestors,
are you not the God who is in heaven?You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.Power and might are in your hand,
and no one can withstand you.”2 Chronicles 20:6

State the Problem

Don’t be afraid of calling things out! My father would say, “Call a spade a spade!” In other words, say it like it is! State the circumstance you are facing honestly and clearly. Acknowledging personal inability to overcome a battle is never a declaration of God’s inability, only ours!

“For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.We do not know what to do,
but our eyes are on you.”2 Chronicles 20:12

The important part is knowing who you are with!

We’re not asking God to come and join us in our battle. We position ourselves with Him! Like a little child standing in our Father’s shadow, we are invincible with our God! We always win!

Face your battle! Even if you need to lean on others, stand and face your struggle!

The Song of Victory

Jehoshaphat was so confident of God’s victory he placed the singers in the lead! The warriors armed with physical weapons followed behind.

“What song is so powerful enemies cringe and flee at the melody?” I ask.

“His love endures forever” is the answer.

“Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD
and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness
as they went out at the head of the army,saying:
‘Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever,’ ”2 Chronicles 20:21

The word trophy means something different to each of us. Trophies are reminders and evidence of achievement or merit. Sometimes extraordinary achievement!

Today children are often given trophies simply for participating, regardless of their effort or achievement. When I grew up, awards were rare! The process of effort, defeat and success moved one to the place of excellence and recognition.

In our family, we have hunters and fishermen searching for the big one, athletes working to excel in sports, diligent scholars achieving academic excellence, race car drivers, musicians, writers and artists. Many have received trophies; their efforts are worthy of acknowledgment.

None of these qualities are in my bible reading today.

Lion and Bear

Initially, we don’t know much about our trophy winner except he was insignificant to his father and despised by his brothers. Samuel came to anoint God’s choice for future king. Jesse brought each of his sons to Samuel except for his youngest.

David remained in the fields “tending the sheep“, until Samuel insisted on seeing him.

“Send for him‘ we will not sit down until he arrives.”
I Samuel 16:11

Much to everyone’s surprise, God confirms His choice in David, “Rise and anoint him’ this is the one!”

“So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him
in the presence of his brothers,
and from that day on the Spirit of the LORDcame powerfully upon David…”I Samuel 16:13

Anointing matters! Whether playing his harp before the king or during the long nights watching the sheep, Holy Spirit was with David in a powerful way.

David wouldn’t allow either the stealth or fierceness of lion and bear to rob him of his lambs. Both he “seized by the hair”, stuck and killed!

I imagine David did not waste such opportunity! I think he skinned both and dragged them home as personal trophies of success! When he would snuggle under the warmth of the bear hide or look at the defeated lion, courage and faith would rise stronger in him.

A Head

“David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.” I Samuel 17:54

Seems gruesomely bazaar to me!

When Saul talked to David after the battle, he had Goliath’s bloody head tucked neatly (or maybe not so neatly) under his arm. He wasn’t about to let go of it!

“As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine,
Abner took him and brought him before Saul,
with David still holding the Philistine’s head.”I Samuel 17:57

He took that head to Jerusalem, the City of Peace! Peace was impossible while this

God cursing, tongue-wagging,
intimidating, and belittling
leader of the enemy’s army was
antagonizing David’s people.

Goliath’s head was a vivid reminder of God’s supernatural intervention through someone who was “little more than a boy.” It remained a trophy of God’s ability to completely silence the enemy!

Immaturity and inexperience are never disqualifiers for God’s team. Faith is the only requirement! David was not focused on His own ability or inability, but rather on Who God is.

“…the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel…”
I Samuel 17: 45

The Weapons

I previously envisioned David taking only Goliath’s sword. The giant came with more than one weapon.

“…You come against me with sword and spear and javelin…”I Samuel 17:45

Goliath was an experienced and fully armed opponent.

The sword would be used in close combat situations, the spear was like a jousting lance. The lance had a further reach and would sometimes even be thrown. The last instrument of destruction was a javelin cinched between his shoulder blades; it could be thrown for a considerable distance.

David picked them all up and took them home with him! It wasn’t enough to kill the bearer of the weapons. David made sure they would never be used against him or his people again! The enemy would no longer have access to these tools of destruction!

David became skilled with every weapon the enemy had brought against him. He would be a powerful warrior and military leader. These became instruments of God’s anointed servant to bring strategic victory in battles that lay ahead.

Take The Trophy Home

I’m not sure where you are at today. Some I know are in the midst of extreme battles of various kinds.

You may feel immature and untrained to face what is ahead. We can all learn from David.

Though the king offered him full military garb, David humbly refused and chose to go with what he was familiar with,

“Then he took his staff in his hand,
chose five smooth stones from the stream,
put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and,
with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.”
I Samuel 17: 40

In your weakness, you may feel like you are facing a giant with nothing more than a wooden staff, a handful of stones, a bag, and sling.

Yet under the anointing of God, with fixed gaze upon His greatness, it is enough. Take courage and approach your adversary! God is able!